Solemates

ABSTRACT

A disposable apparatus for protecting a person&#39;s feet, when such person has to be barefoot, from microorganisms that are commonly found on floors. The apparatus comprises a pair of base members, each base member of the pair of base members has a predetermined shape and is formed of a predetermined material for engagement with a sole of a person&#39;s foot and has an upper surface and a bottom surface. A securing means is disposed on such upper surface of the pair of base members for securing such each base member to a sole of such person&#39;s foot. A wrapper member is disposed for one of containing such pair of base members until ready for application to the soles of a person&#39;s feet or for covering the upper surface of each base member of the pair of base members until ready for application to such soles of a person&#39;s feet.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is closely related to and claims benefit from U.S.Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/091,012 filed Sep. 8, 2008.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates, in general, to a foot protectiveapparatus, and, more particularly, the present invention relates to anapparatus that can be temporarily adhered on the sole of ones foot toprotect their feet from bacteria and germs commonly found on publicfloors that require footwear to be removed such as tanning booths,locker rooms, showers or anywhere else where individuals may not want tobe in their bare feet.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

N/A

BACKGROUND

There are areas people must visit that require footwear to be removed.Some of these areas could be public swimming pools, tanning booths,locker rooms, showers or anywhere else where individuals may not want tobe in their bare feet. Germs and bacteria can thrive on these floors.Individuals may easily incur athlete's foot, ringworm, warts and otherailments from unclean floors by walking barefoot on these areas.

Having a simple way to shield one's feet from microorganisms may help anindividual feel more comfortable and safer when visiting theseestablishments.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a first aspect the present invention provides a disposable apparatusfor protecting a person's feet, when such person has to be barefoot,from microorganisms that are commonly found on floors. The apparatuscomprises a pair of base members, each base member of such pair of basemembers has a predetermined shape and is formed of a predeterminedmaterial for engagement with a sole of a person's foot and has an uppersurface and a bottom surface. A securing means is disposed on such uppersurface of the pair of base members for securing such each base memberto a sole of such person's foot. A wrapper member is disposed for one ofcontaining such pair of base members until ready for application to thesoles of a person's feet and for covering such upper surface of sucheach base member of the pair of base members until ready for applicationto such soles of a person's feet.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the present invention toprovide a foot covering that can adhere to the soles of a person's feetfor protection from unclean floors.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a foot coveringfor the soles of a person's feet that is disposable.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a footcovering for the soles of a person's feet that is shaped like a foot.

In addition to the various objects and advantages of the invention whichhave been described in some specific detail above it should be notedthat various other objects and advantages of the present invention willbecome more readily apparent to those persons who are skilled in therelevant art from the following more detailed description, particularlywhen such description is taken in conjunction with the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of the apparatus according to anembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the disposable apparatus disposed in awrapper until ready for use.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the disposable apparatus with wrappermember disposed on the upper surface of the base member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

Prior to proceeding with the more detailed description of the presentinvention it should be noted that, for the sake of clarity, identicalcomponents which have identical functions have been designated byidentical reference numerals throughout the several views illustrated inthe drawings.

In a first aspect the present invention provides a disposable apparatus,generally designated 10, for protecting a person's feet, when suchperson has to be barefoot, from microorganisms that are commonly foundon floors. The apparatus 10 comprises a pair of base members 2, eachbase member 2 of said pair of base members 2 having a predeterminedshape and formed of a predetermined material for engagement with a soleof a person's foot and having a upper surface 4 and a bottom surface 6.A means, generally designated 20, is disposed on such upper surface 4 ofthe pair of base members 2 for securing such each base member 2 to asole of such person's foot. A wrapper member is disposed for one ofcontaining such pair of base members 2 until ready for application tothe soles of a person's feet and for covering such upper surface 4 ofsuch each base member 2 of the pair of base members 2 until ready forapplication to such soles of a person's feet.

Such means 20 for securing such base member 2 to the sole of a person'sfoot includes a releasable adhesive disposed on the upper surface 4 ofsuch pair of base members 2 for securing such each base member 2 to suchsole of such person's foot. Such pair of base members 2 further includesa plurality of apertures 12 formed through such each base member 2 topermit air to flow through. Such predetermined shape of the pair of basemembers 2 is in the shape of a foot.

In the embodiment where the wrapper member 18 covers the releasableadhesive on the upper surface 4 of such base member 4, such wrappermember 18 is a sheet of plastic that is just peeled off when the user isready to apply the apparatus to his/her feet. In the embodiment wherethe wrapper member 16 contains such base members 2, the wrapper member16 is thin plastic bag similar to a food storage bag.

It is also presently preferred that each base member 2 further includesa tab member 8 disposed on a heel portion of such each base member 2 forremoval of such each base member 2 from such person's foot so that suchperson does not have to touch a bottom portion 6 of such each basemember 2 to remove such apparatus 10. In an embodiment of the inventionsuch bottom surface 6 of such pair of base members 2 is treated with anantifungal product to further protect users. Such disposable apparatus10 is made of one of plastic, paper or combinations thereof.

While a presently preferred embodiment and alternate embodiments of thepresent invention have been described in detail above, it should beunderstood that various other adaptations and/or modifications of theinvention can be made by those persons who are particularly skilled inthe art without departing from either the spirit of the invention or thescope of the appended claims.

I claim:
 1. A disposable apparatus for protecting a person's feet, whensuch person has to be barefoot, from microorganisms that are commonlyfound on floors, said apparatus comprises: (a) a pair of base members,each base member of said pair of base members having a predeterminedshape and formed of a predetermined material for engagement with a soleof a person's foot and having a upper surface and a bottom surface; (b)a securing means is disposed on said upper surface of said pair of basemembers for securing said each base member to a sole of such person'sfoot; and (c) a wrapper member for one of containing said pair of basemembers until ready for application to soles of a persons foot and forcovering said upper surface of said each base member of said pair ofbase members until ready for application to such soles of a person'sfeet.
 2. The disposable apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein saidsecuring means includes a releasable adhesive disposed on said uppersurface of said pair of base members for securing said each base memberto such sole of such person's foot.
 3. The disposable apparatus,according to claim 1, wherein said pair of base members further includesa plurality of apertures formed through said each base member to permitair to flow through.
 4. The disposable apparatus, according to claim 1,wherein said predetermined shape of said pair of base members is a foot.5. The disposable apparatus, according to claim 4, wherein said eachbase member further includes a tab member disposed on a heel portion ofsaid each base member for removal of said each base member from suchperson's foot so that such person does not have to touch a bottomportion of said each base member.
 6. The disposable apparatus, accordingto claim 1, wherein said bottom surface of said pair of base members istreated with an antifungal product to further protect users.
 7. Thedisposable apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said disposableapparatus is made of one of plastic, paper and combinations thereof. 8.The disposable apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said securingmeans is a disposable tape disposed on said upper surface of such eachbase member for securing said apparatus to such soles of a person'sfeet.
 9. The disposable apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein saidwrapper member for covering said upper surface of said base member justpeels off of said apparatus when ready for use.
 10. The disposableapparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said wrapper member is made ofcellophane.
 11. The disposable apparatus, according to claim 1, whereinsaid wrapper member for containing said pair of base members until readyfor application to soles of a persons foot is a thin plastic bag.